Are There Volcanoes On Oahu?

Hawaii is a beautiful island full of natural wonders. Visitors can see active volcanoes up close. This gives them a perspective on how powerful these mountains really are.

Volcanoes erupt when magma rises up inside them. When magma rises up, it causes volcanoes to explode and spew lava.

Volcanoes are dangerous because they could cause tsunamis and earthquakes if they erupt.

The Honolulu volcanic field is located in the southeast section of the island of Oʼahu, Hawaii.

It consists of the following volcanoes: Kīlauea, Puʻu ʻŌʻō, Mauna Loa, Hualālai, Kaʻū, Waianae, Kapoho, Makamae, and Puna.

Kohala

Kohala is an extinct volcano in the northern part of Hawaii. There are no official trails or any sort of access to this mountain, but people have managed to climb it.

Mauna Kea

Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano and is the tallest of all the mountains in Hawaii. It reaches 13,803 ft above sea level.

The volcano was inactive for over 200 years but is now active again. A new road was built to make it easier to reach the top.

There is a lot of private property surrounding the mountain, making it hard for people to access the top.

Loa

Loa is an active volcano located on the island of Hawaii. It was last active in 1984 and could erupt again at any time.

A road leads to the top of the mountain, which is over 13,000 ft high.

There are many trails leading into the crater, which is about 1 mile wide. The volcano is currently spewing lava out of the vent.

Koko Head

Koko Head was formed by lava flows from the Mauna Loa volcano. Sandy beach with views of Koko head crater, Hawaii tourism authority (HTA) / tor johnson.

Navigate through Oahu and you’ll come face to face with Koko ahead of you.  

The crater has a hike that is roughly 2 miles but that is notorious for its challenging steep climb to the top,  if you persevere you’ll have spectacular views of Hawaii ka and Hanauma Bay.

Diamond Head 

A hike along the Diamond Head trail is an amazing experience.  You can see the ocean and the lighthouse along the way.

You can also see Molokai Island. The trail is a switchback path with a railing on each side. The trail goes up the inside slope of the volcano.

In 1939, a tunnel was built to serve as an entrance into the volcano. 

There is a rest stop at the lookout point, then you’ll climb 99 steps to reach the second lookout point.

From there, you’ll go down 54 more steps to reach the crater’s summit. At the top, you’ll find a picnic area, restrooms and drinking fountains.

There are also some historical displays. You can access the beach and park near the volcano.

Diamond Head was formed when lava flowed out of the Kilauea volcano. Views from Diamond Head summit, Waikiki, Hawaii.

Hiking up to the top takes about 2 hours. You’ll be able to see the beautiful scenery of Waikiki and Oahu East Coast beaches.

Ko’olau Mountains 

Pali lookout with Ko’olau mountain range in the background, Hawaii tourism authority (HTA). Oahu can be described as a volcanic island as we can see from the Ko’olau mountains.

The hills that are visible are just a part of the Ko’olau volcano – which is a huge volcano and was the focal point of the island. 

Where did the other part of the volcano go? Certain weather and other events caused it to slip into the ocean.

However, these events were millions of years back and there are no active volcanoes in Hawaii currently.  

National Park

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is located in Hawai’i, and it protects some of the most beautiful places in the world.

It includes the summits of two volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa. It is also a designated International Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage site.

Visitors to Hawaii should enjoy the sights of this tropical paradise. There are many things to see and do here.

Some of these diamonds include snorkeling at Hanauma Bay and hiking up diamond head tuff. 

There are vehicles that depart about every hour from around 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Honolulu to both Hilo and Kona international airports on the big island.

Car rentals are available at both airports. The big island is easy to navigate. 

Iowa state highway 11 goes around the island. Hilo is closer to Hawaii volcanoes national park (just 48 km southwest on Highway 11).

The drive from Kona is farther (133 km along the western and southern coasts on highway 11), but this road offers opportunities to see the captain cook’s monument and visit the sacred grounds of Pu’uhonua and Honaunau national historical park.

Car Travel 

Visitors should check the park’s list of closures and advisories before visiting. When driving around the park, visitors should pay attention to road conditions.

There are many trails throughout the park. Visitors can enjoy hiking or take an easy walk around the crater rim.

Visitors can also go down to the bottom of the volcano and see what happened in the past. 

Walking 

Hiking trails in Hawaii are easy and fun. There are many different kinds of hikes that take you around volcanoes.

Some of them are easier than others. The most difficult hike is the Crater Rim trail because it goes up and down a lot of hills.

Conclusion 

Nature is fascinating and Oahu is steeped in history and has lots to see and explore.

Thankfully the volcanoes are not dangerous so you can safely explore the area and enjoy the scenery.